Dust to Dust
by SexySloth
Summary: The battle is upon them. Love can be a light in the darkness, but things do not always go as planned…Sweet and dark, tragic...no HEA. SS/HG. Rated M just to be safe.


**AN: Oh my… I haven't written in a long time, but it this just came out of me. A warning..this one is rather…dark and sad. No HEA here…so…proceed with caution.**

 **Dust to Dust**

 _"You may write me down in history with your bitter, twisted lines. You may trod me in the very dirt, but still, like dust, I'll rise." -Maya Angelou_

The cold from the floor was seeping into his bones, his blood mixing with the sweat and dust on the floor. He heard his own breath coming in shuddering starts and stops. So, this is it, he thought. Alone and forgotten, the way he'd always planned it, the way he'd always wanted it…at least…until…her.

He closed his eyes briefly. He couldn't think about that now, he had one last thing to do, one more duty, and then he could let the sweet release of death take him over. So much pain, he had so much pain. His hands fumbled for his pocket and he cursed himself for his own weakness. His body began to feel light. He didn't have much time. He had to get the vial. He must extract the memories for the Potter boy. If he didn't do this, all was for naught. He thought of her face and it gave him strength.

"One last thing, Severus old boy," he begged his body with a raspy whisper. "One last thing…" but he couldn't reach it, or couldn't find it. Things were going blurry and watery all around him. He thought he could hear voices, but that was impossible. No one knew he was here, or what had transpired between him and the Dark Lord.

But then he felt a warm hand press against the wound on his neck and he forced his eyes to focus. She had come. She was here. "But how?" He didn't realize he's whispered it aloud.

"It doesn't matter, Severus, doesn't matter, it's going to be all right. It's all going to be all right," she was doing her best to keep the panic out of her voice, but he saw through her, could see it in her eyes. He frowned. He wanted to take it away. He wanted to kiss the furrow between her brows and wipe the tears away with his long fingers, and take her someplace warm and safe forever. Why couldn't he again? Oh yes. He was dying.

"Harry, in my bag, get me the Potions kit. There's a vial of blood replenisher and a bottle of antivenin. Get it." He watched as she held out her hand. It was grimy and sweat-dampened. He heard the boy fumbling in her bag, things clanking and shifting in it's magical void. "Now! Hurry, for Merlin's sake we've got no time!"

Severus smiled.

"My fierce, little, lioness…" his voice drifted off in a hiss. She whipped her head to him and he felt her grab his angular face between her fingers, forcing him to look at her.

"Don't you dare pass out, Snape," he almost smiled at her use of his last name. She only did it when she was furious…or frightened…or both. "I'm going to fix it, I can fix it and it will all be okay," she was crying, he realized. His eyes drifted behind her, at the two young men staring on at what he was sure was an incredibly shocking display for them. Their eyes were wide and frightened. But the boy…there was something about the boy…something he was supposed to be doing…

"Her-mi…Hermione…" she wasn't looking at his eyes, she was spreading essence of dittany over his neck and some of the more minor slashes and then she uncorked two vials with her teeth.

"Don't talk," she spat the corks out and began to coax his mouth open. "Drink, please. All of it," her lips twitched into something like a smile. "If they taste bad, well, blame the brewer."

The potions went down and he felt the blood replenisher take effect, the antivenin-his own creation-travelling through his veins like fire and he moaned at the pain of it. "Hurts…gods..." he murmured.

"I know," she said. He felt her stroke a hand through his lank hair. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head slightly, "Foolish…witch…don't…be…sorry," he felt everything moving slower. It wasn't working. He knew it. It hadn't been enough. All his planning, all his efforts…no use. The world began to dim to a single point, and he saw her eyes as the panic returned.

"Severus, Severus!" Her voice rose and he could hear it over the rushing in his ears as his body continued to fail, his heart pumping him toward the end.

He was dismayed, there were so many things he wanted to say, so many things he never thought he'd be able to say to anyone. His life had been so lonely till her, so empty of meaning till her. "Hermione…"

"Yes, I'm here. Severus we must get you to the hospital wing..Poppy, she'll be able to help…she can do something…"

He stopped her once more, raising a shaking finger sticky with his own blood to her lips. "Hermione…I love…you." He watched her swallow, the tears streaming down her face as she closed her eyes, pressing a kiss to that proffered finger. It lingered for a moment then fell away, no strength left. It left a dark, vermillion mark upon her chapped mouth.

"I know. I love you too. Please, let us take you somewhere…"

He shook his head. "No….use…love."

"Don't say that," she pleaded him, her eyes, her voice. "Don't say that."

"Vial…in my coat. Take it," he begged. "Take…the…me-memories…to the p-pensieve. Give them…to-to Harry."

"Yes, yes, all right. I will," she fumbled in his pocket and found the vial marked with two etched initials: SS. She drew out her wand with a violently trembling hand and placed it to the side of his head. She stared into his eyes and his gave her the permission she sought. With a murmured spell she extracted what she needed, what they needed, and he watched through his haze as she deposited his life into the vial…his legacy, their legacy. All would be told in time, and with luck…it had always been luck hadn't it?…the boy would win. And Severus would be at peace. She placed the vial into her coat pocket and bent closer to him. "Severus, please…"

He closed his eyes, those words haunting him. He had done everything in his life for others. _Severus, please_ …Never before had he wanted to heed that request as much as he did in this moment. He heard his heartbeats grow slower, fainter, and weak. He could no longer lift his arms to hold her as he wanted.

"Hermione…I'm…sorry…"

She shook her head violently, the tears flowing freely now. "Foolish wizard…don't be sorry."

He smiled then, everything bright. She was so bright! Had he ever noticed before how she glowed, how she shone? "So…beautiful…my love…always."

The brightness pulsed, and he heard her response, and then he was borne away, the pain…finally…gone.

"Severus?" She whispered, she knew, but she wanted so badly for it not to be true. "Severus…." But she knew, oh she _knew_. Her body went numb, and she fell forward onto his chest. It was so still, silent. She sobbed, her heart rending in two.

What they'd had had been found and told in secrets, in furtive messages, dangerous meetings in dark, solitary places where only they existed, and only for each other. Private love, private vows… Till now, everything that they were had been held deep in her heart, secret and for them alone. The last time they'd made love, her heart had nearly broken with the finality of it. Though he hadn't said a word, he hadn't needed to. She had known that he had been saying his goodbyes. Still, she had thought it would work. The plan they'd devised…in case the worst should happen…she was so sure it would work.

But things do not always go as planned. She heard a throat clear behind her and a tentative hand press onto her back.

"Hermione, we have to get back." It was Harry and in that moment all the fear, the rage, the sadness came out as she screamed at him, throwing him off her.

"NO! Don't touch me, don't touch me!" She couldn't handle it all. She had to handle it all. There was so much more to be done…she was so tired. She wanted to lay down, wrapped up in his arms and just let it all go. But there was so much more to be done.

"Just…all right, I…just let me take care of him. I…I can't leave him here." She looked then, at Harry and saw that his eyes held pity, and perhaps…understanding. Harry nodded and stepped back. Ron hadn't said a word, his eyes wide with confusion and betrayal, and she hadn't the time to explain now. It would all have to wait..but first…

With trembling hands Hermione took hold of Severus' still hands and kissed each cold palm, placing them one by one upon his chest. She smoothed back his hair, and with her fingers…ever so softy, she pressed down on his half-open lids, forever closing those beautiful, black eyes to the world. And, her heart so wrent, so broken, she bent and kissed him one last time. "I love you, my darling," her voice little more than a whisper. She tore off a small piece of Severus' cloak and transfigured it into a large, black, shroud, and with a sweeping wave of her wand it covered his body and wrapped itself around him. She looked behind her then, at Harry and Ron who were watching it all silently. "I..I'm going to apparate his body to the hospital wing. I'll meet you back in the Great Hall in an hour." She hoped they had enough time.

"Hermione what are you talking about? You can't apparate in and out of Hogwarts." Harry looked at her in confusion. She almost laughed. There was so much they didn't know…

She smiled, sadly, brushing her hand over Severus' covered form where she knew his hands were resting. "I can," she said.

Ron finally spoke. "But…how?"

"Because I'm his wife." There was no time…no time to explain it all. How could she ever explain it all to anyone? "Just do as I say, all right? The Great Hall in an hour." With a final look at her two companions, she apparated with a crack, Severus Snape in her arms.

She landed with him in Poppy's office, onto the cot that had been placed there in case…With a shuddering sigh she closed her eyes, and tried to find something…anything happy so that she could conjure a patronus.

 _"Do you, Severus Snape, take this woman in the bonds of matrimony with your body, heart, and soul, for as long as you both shall live…and beyond?" Albus Dumbledore's voice washed over them both, and Severus turned to her, his dark eyes blazing, so full of love, and want._

 _"I do."_

 _"And do you, Hermione, take this man in the bonds of matrimony with your body, heart, and soul, for as long as you both shall live…and beyond?"_

 _Her heart beat hard, and she looked at him, her eyes blazing, so full of love and want. "Oh yes. I do."_

 _"Then it is done, by the power invested in my hands by the Ministry of Magic, and before these witnesses," he nodded to Poppy and Minerva who stood nearby, "I declare that you are bonded for eternity, man and wife."_

 _Severus' smile was almost blinding with it's joy. Their lips met in a kiss so powerful that a jolt of magic pulsed through the headmaster's office as their bond was sealed._

"Expecto Patronum!" her voice rang out in the silent room and the lynx, sleek and delicate and a match now to Severu's own, sprang from the tip of her wand. "Go…tell her…" and with a wave of her wand she sent her patronus away.

She heard Poppy's footfalls in the corridor only a minute later, and the matron entered her office, Minerva behind her. They stopped short when they saw the shrouded form on the cot. Minerva's hand went to her mouth, Poppy's shoulder's slumped, her eyes filled with tears. Minerva came forward first and placed her aged hands upon Hermione's shoulders.

"Oh my dear, I am so very sorry." Hermione nodded, her grief so strong, but she could not break down. Not yet.

"Poppy, I need you to complete the agreement, and Minerva," she turned and fished the vial out of her pocket, "I need you to give this to Harry immediately. Take him to the headmaster's office and let him view it in the pensieve."

Minerva took the proffered vial and gazed at the swirling, milky liquid within. "Are these…" "Yes. They're all there. Everything. He must know now."

Minerva nodded. "All right. I will do so now, she moved to the door of the office. "Hermione…"

She smiled and nodded at the grandmotherly woman's visible pain. "I know. Thank you."

She was gone in a rustling of robes. Poppy looked at Hermione as she wiped tears away on the sleeves of her Hospital robes. "Are you ready?"

Hermione turned. _No_ , she thought. "Yes," she said.

Poppy raised her wand, then faltered. "Are you certain?"

"Yes." She closed her eyes, trying to fight the tears that were there, burning her eye-lids. "It's what he wanted."

Poppy sighed and lifted her wand again. "All right. It..it won't take long. It's…it's a quick process." Hermione nodded and watched as Poppy waved her wand over the body of her husband. It glowed bright like the moon and began to rise and swirl, the particles, molecules, the bones, the blood, and the man all melting and disintegrating in to a fine powder. She stared as Poppy opened a small leather pouch, and deposited the glowing dust inside, and with another wave of her wand, closed the pouch. The drawstring tying itself into a small knot. The pouch fell into her hand and Hermione watched her trembling as she held the small square of leather out to her.

"Thank you, Poppy. For everything." The matron nodded and moved closer to her, sweeping a gentle hand over her cheek.

"He loved you so very much. You brought him so much joy in these dark times."

Hermione pressed the pouch close to her chest. "He brought me just as much."

"I must return to the Hall…there are so many injured…"

Hermione nodded. "I know. I'll be along in a little while. I have one more thing to take care of," she whispered, "one last thing."

Poppy gave Hermione one last squeeze and then turned, returning to others who were still alive that needed her. She could do no more here…

Hermione pressed the pouch even closer to her chest and closed her eyes, and with a sharp turn and an echoing crack, she disapparated.

She landed upon a small island in the middle of Loch Lomond, miles away from the battle, her friends, all the pain. Here, there was peace. She walked towards the shore, the small waves of the loch lapping against the stony bank. This was their place. Where they would meet in secret. So many nights spent here in their little cottage back in the trees. It was secret kept, and well protected. No one but Minerva knew where it was, and the Dark Lord never guessed that Severus Snape, his most loyal servant, would secret himself away to this small little island. So many secrets…so many years of pain…but love, too. Yes, she thought. Such love.

She took the pouch and pressed it to her lips, then opened the small drawstring. The contents was still glowing, pulsing softly in the morning sunlight.

"Farewell, my darling. You'll always be with me, in the wind, and the rain, in the trees, in the grass…I'll be fine here, you'll see." She didn't try to stop the tears from flowing as she took out her wand, emptying the contents of the small pouch high into her palm. "And you're finally…free."* With a sweep of her arm and a whispered spell, the glowing dust spilled out into the crisp spring air. It swirled on the breeze, surrounded her whole body rushing around her in a glowing blaze, pricks of light flashing by her eyes, filling her up with a lingering warmth. And then it swept out, up, and over the loch…till it disappeared, neither part of this earth nor part of the air any longer. _Ashes to ashes…dust to dust..._

Hermione stood for a long while, a small, lone figure on this small, lone island. She watched as the light grew brighter as it got on near seven and she knew it was time. With a last sweeping look, she closed her eyes, and disapparated back to Hogwarts, to the Great Hall. The battle was near.

 **Finis**

 ***The lines Hermione says as she says goodbye are very LOOSELY taken from the finale of the musical Parade by Jason Robert Brown.**

 **Reviews are always welcomed and enjoyed! I know this one was…dark. I'm not sure where it came from, but there it is!**

 **Thanks for reading, as always.**

 **SS**


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